71% consumers in Mumbai rarely asked for prescription, survey finds; Maharashtra FDA acted against 880 drug licensees in three months

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As many as 71% of consumers surveyed in Mumbai said chemists never or rarely refused to sell medicines without a doctor’s prescription, compared with 64% nationally, according to a LocalCircles survey published on September 18, 2026. The findings come as the Centre has proposed mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores selling prescription drugs, and the Maharashtra FDA has intensified enforcement against retailers.

The Mumbai survey by LocalCircles, which received more than 20,000 responses across its questions, also found that only 28% of respondents said they were assisted by a qualified pharmacist most of the time or always, while 21% said they were assisted by someone who was not a qualified pharmacist.

On prescription checks, 36% of 3,697 Mumbai respondents said chemists never refused to give them medicines without a prescription and another 35% said they did so very rarely. Only 9% said chemists refused such sales most of the time and 5% said they always did so.

The gap was also visible in home deliveries. Of 3,122 respondents, 18% said their chemist never demanded a doctor’s prescription during ordering or delivery and 40% said this happened very rarely. Only 23% said a prescription was sought most of the time or always.

The national survey, published a day earlier on September 17, 2026, showed similar, though somewhat lower, levels of reported non-compliance. Across India, 64% of consumers surveyed said their chemist never or rarely insisted on a doctor’s prescription, while only 15% said chemists did so most of the time or always. Only 31% said they were assisted by a qualified pharmacist most of the time or always, while 13% said the person assisting them was not qualified.

The nationwide survey received more than 106,000 responses from consumers across 327 districts. It also found that 41% said chemists never or rarely sought prescriptions during home delivery, compared with 58% in Mumbai.

The findings come as the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has floated draft amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945, proposing mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores supplying medicines sold on a registered medical practitioner’s prescription.

The draft, issued through Gazette notification G.S.R. 791(E) dated September 8, proposes inserting a new sub-rule after Rule 65(2). It states that retail supply of prescription medicines should take place under CCTV surveillance installed and maintained at the premises. The proposal is aimed at strengthening oversight of the sale of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs and curbing sales without valid prescriptions. The government has invited objections and suggestions before finalising the amendment.

The proposed rule comes amid a sharper enforcement drive by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration.